It was a weekend that classic car enthusiasts and Swansea commuters alike won’t soon forget. As heavy rains swept across parts of the United Kingdom on Sunday, September 7, 2025, two very different communities found themselves grappling with the disruptive power of water—from the soggy fields of Newent to the flooded streets of Swansea.
In the Gloucestershire town of Newent, anticipation had been building for the annual Newent Classic Car show, a beloved event hosted by the Rotary Club of Newent and District. By 8am, the Newent Cricket Club grounds were already dotted with early arrivals, some braving the elements with nothing but gazebos for shelter. The persistent rain, however, proved relentless. By early afternoon, organizers were forced to make the tough call: the show would be called off around 1pm, citing safety concerns for both vehicles and visitors, as reported by The Forest Review.
Despite the abbreviated festivities, the morning saw a hearty turnout. Attendees sloshed through muddy grounds to admire a variety of classic vehicles, including a standout blue and white 1968 police panda car proudly displayed by Martin Dalton. Emergency service representatives from the Severn Area Rescue Association were on hand, as were local food and drinks vendors, lending a sense of community spirit even as the weather threatened to wash out the day. The sight of determined enthusiasts huddled under makeshift shelters, refusing to let the rain dampen their love for classic cars, spoke volumes about the resilience of the event’s supporters.
But while Newent’s car lovers were forced to pack up early, Swansea was contending with a far more serious crisis. By Sunday afternoon, the Cwmbwrla roundabout—a major artery into the city—was rendered impassable by severe flooding, according to WalesOnline. South Wales Police quickly diverted all traffic to Pentregethin Road, but the disruption triggered a cascade of problems for the city’s residents.
Monday morning brought gridlock to the Manselton area. Cars, rerouted from the roundabout, clogged Robert Street, their drivers’ frustration made audible by a chorus of blaring horns. The floodwaters, as they slowly receded, revealed a grim scene: human faeces had surfaced, a stark reminder of the infrastructure’s vulnerability. Emergency services worked tirelessly, rescuing two residents, Nigel and Ian Davies, from their flooded home. The ordeal underscored just how quickly a familiar route can become a hazard zone when nature intervenes.
As the week progressed, Swansea Council scrambled to address the mounting challenges. On Tuesday night, the council provided a detailed update to the public, acknowledging the widespread frustration and explaining the ongoing closure. "Understandably, many of you are probably wondering why the route into the city centre remains closed to traffic," the council stated. The explanation was clear: the highway had become a staging ground for large pumping equipment, necessary to divert water away from a damaged culvert at the Cwmfelin Social Club. The council emphasized, "Without these in place, we could suffer further flooding, particularly with more heavy rainfall overnight."
That damaged culvert, as it turns out, has a history. Back in August 2023, the ground outside the Cwmfelin Social Club collapsed, causing extensive damage to both the club and its car park. The collapse, about 10 meters below ground, also took out the main trunk sewer—a vital piece of the city’s infrastructure. According to Welsh Water, the only solution was to install a temporary sewer system, snaking from the Libanus Chapel site along Carmarthen Road, under the railway bridge, and eastward to a main connection point. The fragility of this stopgap measure became painfully obvious as the latest rains overwhelmed the area, leading to the current crisis.
By Wednesday morning, there was a glimmer of progress. At 7:15am, Swansea Council reported that the roundabout was open once more—though the inbound lane to the city centre between the roundabout and Gors Avenue remained closed, with pumps still working at full tilt. Heol y Gors, another key route, was still completely shut. The council thanked residents for their patience, promising to restore normalcy as soon as possible. "Our highways teams and partner agencies have been working day and night to ensure everything is back to normal as quickly as possible," the council noted, highlighting the round-the-clock effort required to keep the city moving.
For Swansea’s residents, the episode has been a test of endurance and a stark lesson in the interconnectedness of weather, infrastructure, and daily life. The sight of human waste in the streets and the need to rescue residents from flooded homes brought home the risks of aging sewers and culverts—especially in a city with a long industrial past and a complex underground network, including the remnants of old tramlines that once served the Cwmfelin steelworks.
Meanwhile, back in Newent, the disappointment of a rained-out car show was tempered by the camaraderie and shared experience of those who braved the elements. The annual gathering may have been cut short, but the spirit of the event endured, with local businesses and emergency services joining in to support the community. For Martin Dalton and his iconic 1968 police panda car, the morning’s turnout was a testament to the enduring appeal of classic motoring—even when the weather refuses to cooperate.
Both stories, unfolding on the same rain-soaked weekend, highlight the unpredictability of British weather and its power to disrupt even the best-laid plans. They also serve as reminders of the importance of community resilience—whether in the face of a muddy field or a flooded city street. As climate change brings more frequent and intense downpours, towns and cities across the UK will likely face similar challenges. The swift response from emergency services, local councils, and ordinary citizens in both Newent and Swansea offers hope that, even when the rain won’t stop, communities can pull together and weather the storm.
In the end, the events of September 2025 will be remembered not just for the inconvenience and disruption, but for the ways in which people adapted, supported one another, and looked ahead to drier days.
